Machine for drawing a vacuum in and sealing filled containers



P 9, 1941- A. L. KRONQUEST ETAL 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 1o Sheets-Sheet 2 +%MIIEEEE'QQ!;LW

14] BY WW WL w 7- 611,117:

ATTORNEYS p 9, 1941- A. KRONQUEST IETAL 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 l0 Sheets-Sheet 4 NVENTORS BY 631g m 7% I ATTORNEY 5 p 19414 A. L. KRONQUEST ETAL 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 I JiI J] INVENTORS BY QGA Milt 69 M 323 ATTORNEY 5 Sept. 9, 1941- A. L. KRONQUEST ET /AL MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1958 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY i i-WT ATTORNEY IS p 9, 1941. A. KRoNduEs'r ETAL. 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 i i la ATTORNEY? Sept. 9, 1941. A. L. KRONQUEST ET AL 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 10 Sheets-Sheet 8. fi R w ENTOR9 ATTORNEYS p 1941- A. L. KRONQUEST mm. 2,255,707

MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1938 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 WQm -43 ATTORNEYS 1 Sept. 9, 1941.

A. L. KRONQUEST ETAL MACHINE FOR DRAWING A VACUUM IN AND SEALING FILLED CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 20, 1958 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTO S BY 441,1 I WW 1 691-16;

ATTORNEY-9 5 J15 J11 J15 114 Patented Sept. 9, 1941 PATENT OFFICE 1mm ron DRAWING A vacuum IN AND a same man con'rsnmns Alfred L. Kronquest and Otto A. Schmitt, Syracuse, N. Y.,

assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 20, 1938, Serial No. 230,870

17 Claims.

The invention relates generally to the-art of treating filled containers and primarily seeks to provide a novel unitary machine structure including means for feeding in filled containers, for

Among other objects, the invention seeks to provide a novel rotating pocketed turret structure, and novel sector like container supporting units and segment plating cooperating to provide vacuum chambers which include the tur- .ret pockets.

, Another object of the invention is to provide individual vacuum chambers formed and shaped in anovel manner and each including a container head seaming or sealing equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for applying the covers to the containers and for supporting the containers and the covers thereon in a manner preventing loss by agitation of the liquid fill of. the containers, and for cooperatively moving the container and cover supporting means to first lightly chuck the container and cover during the drawing of the vacuum and thereafter positively chuck them preparatory to double seam sealing the cover on the container.

Another object of the inventionis to provide 'novel means by which the vertical spacing of the container supporting means and the pocketed turret, the seaming devices and the cover feed Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken onthe line 2-2 on Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a fragment of the turret, the vacuum v serially and loosely applying covers to said con- 5 chamber segment, and the container feed-in and tainers-for drawing a vacuum in the loosely covfeed-out devices.

ered containers, for double seam sealing said con-v Figure 4 i n n rged fragmentary cross sectainers while the evacuated condition is manition through one container support, a portion of tained therein, and i'or delivering the sealed com the turret, and the container and cover feed-in tainers from themachine'. 10 devices. I

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical cross section taken through the container feed-out devices and one of the container supports;

Figure 6 is a detail plan view and part horizontal section of the turret and the vacuum cham- I trating a single turret pocket and the associated cover seaming complement.

' tainer feed-in equipment generally designated in devices can be altered to adapt the machine for accommodating containers of various sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for preventing spilling of contents of the containers as they are being moved toward the turret pockets,

Another object of the invention is to provide a common actuator for the plurality of individual seaming or sealing units disposed equidistantly about the axis of the turret.

.With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims, and-the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of the machine taken on the line l-l on Figure 2.

The improved machine for vacuumizing and double seamtsealing containers embodies a con-.-

A, a container cover feed-in, mechanism generally designated B, the machine body proper in which the vacuumizing and double seam'sealing is effected generally designated C, and means generally designated D for'feeding the vacuumized and sealed containers from the machine into a' take-off conveyor line,

In the practical development of the machine,

there is provided a base 5 including a center bear ing-portion 6 and an'upstanding gear housing portion I. Bearing lugs 8 project radially from the base and support frame standards 9 upon the ends of which is supported a frame head Ill shaped to provide a lower gear housing portion II. The gear housing portion ll supports aremovably mounted depending center bearing sleeve l2. and includes an upstanding integral bearing sleeve portion i3 and a laterally disposed integral depending sleeve ll. See Figure 1. a

An upper gear housing portion II is removably mounted on the portion II and supports a removably mounted bearing head "which rotatably supports a main drive shaft l'l equipped with driver bevel gears designated 3 and I3 respectively. See Figure 1.

The bevel gear |3 serves to impart rotation to a bevel gear sleeve 20 rotatably'supported-in suitable bearings? in .the bearing sleeve I3 and having a driver'ring 2| secured thereto as shown in Figure lof the drawings.

The bevel gear l9 imparts rotation to a bevel gear 22 and to the center shaft 23 depending therefrom through the bearing sleeves l3 and I2 hereinbef'ore' referred to.

The ring gear 2| imparts rotation through suit:- able idler gearing 24 to a spur gear 25 mounted between the housing portions ll, l and rotatable about a shaft 23 which is rotatably supported in the sleeve I4 and has rotation imparted thereto from the gear 25 through suitable overload clutch equipment illustrated in Figure 1 and generally designated 21.

At its lower end the shaft 23 is rotatably sup- 3| serves to lift and lower the unit plungers 49, and the track section 53 'is in the nature of a Each unit generally designated 43 also includes a container supporting pad 54, a support sector proper designated 55 and also in the nature of ported as at .23 in the base portion 1' and has a driver pinion 23 affixed thereto. This shaft also is equipped intermediate its ends with an elongated driver pinion 30. the purpose for which will later be described. See Figure 1. I

I supporting sleeve 31 spline-connected as at 33 for vertical sliding movement of adjustment in the sleeves 35 and 33 for a purpose later to be described. I

The lower sleeve member 33 is formed in two parts so as to provide an intermediate space in which an adjusting worm gear 33 is rotatably mounted. The worm gear 39 is internally threaded] to receive the threads 43 formed on the sleeve 3'| Rotation may be imparted tothe wormgear 39lby a worm 4|, and such rotation will serve to impart longitudinal movement to the sleeve 31 upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction of the rotation. See Figures 1 and 5.

A large spur gear 42 and a smaller spur gear 43are fixed to thesleeve member 31. Rotation is imparted to the gear 42 from the driver pinion 29 through suitable idler gearing 44, ,and rotation is imparted from thegear 43 to a gear 45 secured to. a sleeve 43 rotatable in the bearing sleeve 33 and about the lower end of the shaft 26. See Figure 1.

The lower or container supporting turret 34 is constructed to include eight equidistantly spaced vertical bearings 41 each mounting a sector-like container supporting unit generally designated 43.

drawings. I

It .will be observed by reference to Figure 4 See Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the nated43 includes'a plunger portion 43 vertically reciprocable in the respective bearing 41. and equipped with a central roller 53 for riding a control cam track 5| and a lateral roller 52 engageable with a track section 53 secured to depend from a part ofthe housing portion 3|, as shown in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings. The tracka vacuum sealing plate serving in a manner later to be described for sealing the lower ends of the container receiving turret pockets, and which is normally held elevated against the abutment shoulder 530i the plunger by springs 51 inter.- pose'd between the composite sector 55 and an abutment ring 53 carried by the plunger. See v Figure 4. I v I Keyed as at 59 to the vertically adjustable center sleeve 31, and having 'rotative bearing as at 63about a control cam supporting and bearing sleeve unit 3| in turn keyed as at 62 to the depending bearing sleeve I2, is an upper turret 33. See Figures l and 4 of the drawings. The turret 63 is constructed to include eight equidistantly spaced operative mechanism receiving bores 34. A plate member 35 is'secured as at 66 to depend from the turret body 63 and is cored out,'as illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 6 of the drawings, to provide chambers 31 for accommodating the individual double seam sealing equipments. plate also includes a depending boss 33 on which is mounted a container conveying turret portion 69 formed to include eight equidistantly spaced peripheral pockets 10 each open at top and bottom and toward the periphery. Each pocket 13 is adapted to receive a container and is vertically alined withthe turret bores 64 hereinbefore referred to. The turret portion 39 is securedby screws II to the plate 65 with a head or cover ring 12 interposed therebetween in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 11 of the drawings. p

Each container receiving pocket in the turret portion 33 includes a container pad receiving recess I3, and at the position of each of the pockets to 10 of the drawings.

It will be observed by reference in the turret portion 69 and the ring l2 have advance flared receiving wall portions 16 and -of the drawings'that each unit generally desigabutment or trailing wall portions 11 angled slightly forward of an imaginary line drawn radially-through the turret and pocket axes where- ,by to facilitate the feeding of the containers and covers into the pockets and the retention thereof in said pockets during movement of the turret. In eachturret bore 64 a chuck sleeve 13 is ro-' tatably supported in bearings 13, the rotary chuck proper being supported at the lower end of the respective sleeveand desisnated- 30. A pinion 3| is keyed to each sleeve 13, and all of the pinions an actuator rod 34 reciprocable in the respective sleeve 13 and supported rotatably at its upper end as at 35 in an actuator head 36 vertically reciprocable in a-bearing member 31, each said actuator head being splined as at 33 within its associ- The to Figure 6 of the drawings that the container receiving pockets.

ated member as indicated InFIsure'I. A

springII tends to force-each rod II and pad II downwardly, and each head II carries a roller II movable in a suitable groove in a cam II stationarily suspended as at II from the supporting member II.

Another cam II is supported on the member II and includes JIWO individual peripheral cam surfaces II which are ensued by rollers-II on actuator cranks II secured to rock shafts II which are rockable in bearings II carried by the turret I body" and which carry cranks II at their lower ends upon which are mounted the first and second operation seaming rollers generally III. See Figures 1, I, I and 14. i It will be observed by reference to Figures 1, and I of the drawings, that the vacuum chamber Upon a frame segment I 2| secured to and depending from the frame head is vertically adiustably secured a bracket I22 having a' base flange III to which is secured a supporting plate III. See Figures 1, 2 and 4.v A container cover feeding mechanism III is supported upon the plate III and thisunit may be of anyponventional construction capable of holding a plurality of covers and delivering them serially out of the equipment includes a base sector III secured as v thus forming the body III the hinged section thereof may be swung outwardly away from the turret so as, to render the turret pockets accessible. Y I

' In Figures 12 and 13 of t e drawings a modifled equipment is disclosed in which the plate II is provided at its under surface with a plurality of cross grooves III, one thereof being positioned intermediate each adjacent pair of plate chambers II. In this equipment the upper surface of r the chamber body III is spaced below the-under surface of the plate II as indicated at H2 in Figure 13. In each groove III is mounted a spring pressed key III, the spring equipments serving to yieldably press the keys against the upper surface of the body III. A leather strip III is-secured to the body III and serves to seal the space intervening said body and the edge of the plate II. In order to prevent displacement of the keys when they are' not in contact with the body III, the inner ends III thereof overlie the outer portion of the ring I2.

It will be noted that the keys III are disposed on an angle" inwardly and backwardly with respect to a radial of the turret and thus tend to spread oil film present on the upper surface of the body III inwardly over the body so as to facilitate vacuum sea]. It should be understood that the surfaces of the turret portion II, the plate II and the body III which move relatively in contacting relation are kept supplied with a. thin film of oil so as to provide an efllcient vacuum seal.

Containers are fed into the machine by a suitably driven endless conveyor I II onto a supporting table I", being suitably guided as at III.

. At the delivery end of the chain III, control of the moving can bodies is assumed by a rotating disc III key-secured to'the upper end of the sleeve I6 and provided with eight equidistantly spaced peripheral pockets I2I for receiving and imparting movement to the containers. It will be observed by reference to Figure 2 of the drawings that the disc III is disposed at one side of the container conveying turret and is driven in timed relation therewith so, as to feed the containers serially into the turret pockets II.

bottom thereof.

At its under surface the plate I2I is provided with a grooveway I2I lined by cover retainingflanges I21. A ring gear I28 is rotatable within a central aperture in the plate I2I, and it will be observed thatthe plate is disposed eccentrically with relation to the shaft- 28 so that the gear I2I meshes with the elongated pinion II carried 'bysaid shaft and rotation of the shaft is imparted to the ring gear I28. A'star wheel I29 -issecured to rotate with the ring gear and.

equipped with radially projected fingers which project into the plate grooveway I26 and serve to convey container covers through the grooveway and ever the supporting fianges I2'I.

.It will be observed by reference to Figure'2 of the drawingsv that the cover guiding surfaces include a deflector surface III which facilitates movement of the covers serially from the grooveway I2I into the receiving pockets II' and onto the supporting flanges II of the turret ring I2.

In order to prevent sloshing and spilling of liquid with which the containers are filled during the transferring of the containers from the' chain III to the-disc III and thence into the turret pockets, a spill prevention plate I32 is supported over the path of travel of the containers in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The plate I32 is suspended from the supporting plate I2I and is yieldably pressed against the upper or open ends of the containers by spring mounting devices III in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. I

A sleeve III is rotatable about the frame standard I at the discharge side of the machine and within the bearing sleeve I35 carried by the housing portion II. .A gear III is affixed to the sleeve III and meshes with the driver gear I2 hereinbefore referred to; At its upper end the sleeve carries a star wheel II'I having arms I38 extended therefrom in a generally radial direction and serving to feed containers whichhave been vacuumized and sealed out of the turret pockets and onto an ofitake conveyor. .While being moved by the arms the containers are guided by a suitable guide rail III, as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, and said containers are ultimately discharged onto the offtake runway III to be conveyed" away from the machine on a suitable conveyor III, the drive sprocket I42 of which is driven by worm connections III from the sleeve III.

The filled container bodies are indicated at III,

ferred by the rotating disc III tothe individual turret pockets II.

containers during alteration of their path of Spilling of liquid from the movement while entering the machine is avoided by yielding contact of the presserplate I32 with the open tops of the containers.

The machine turret structures, the container conveying disc III, and the cover conveying star wheel I2I-are arranged in a novel and compact manner designed to consume a minimum of space. It willfbe observed by reference to Figure-2' of the drawings that the star wheel I29 is disposed above the disc 9 and eccentrically of the .axis thereof. The disc and star vwheel rotate atdifferent speeds but are so timed that the drawings the timing of the essential succestrated in Figure 100: the drawings, the pad 8:

having been previously elevatedout of contact M m with the cover above stated. In this condition of the parts the vacuumizing of the container has been completed and double seam sealing operation is about to begin.

Obviously, the sealing function is complete while the evacuated condition in the containeris maintained and for the purpose of maintaining that condition.

At point VIII, the first seaming operation be:

gins; at point IX, the first seaming operation terminates; at point X, the-second seaming operasive operations in the machine is marked by turret position indications identified by Roman numerals. I

The cams5l, SI and 84 are'so shaped and corelativeiy positioned that the moving parts of the machine function in the manner hereinafter outlined.

It is to be understood that the compositemachine turret structure 63, 89, 34 constantly rotates. At point I indicated on Figure 6, the cover supporting and knockout pad 83 starts down. At this time neither the container I44 nor the cover I45 are properly positioned in the turret.

At point II the parts are positioned as indicated in Figure 7 of the drawings. The cover I45 is substantially in place in the turret, but it -will be noted that the container I44 is not fully seated in the receiving pocket.

At point III the container and cover are properly positioned in the turret pocket, the pad 83 is v in engagement with the cover and the container supporting pad 54 has beenelevated high enough toforce the container tightly against the cover. =This contacting of container and cover under control of the pads above and below effectively prevents displacement and loss of liquid from the containers during movement thereof incident to operation of the machine. At this time the star wheel I28, I38 and the feed disc II8 are still in effective engagement with the cover and container, audit will be noted that the under surface ofthe disc H9 is provided with recesses I41 to permit elevation ofthe container supporting pads 54 at this interval of the machine operation. See Figures 4 and 8. I

Atpoint IV, the turret pocket III has encountered one of the pocket closing sectors I84 of the vacuum chamber unit and is closed peripherally by the plating I05 as shown in Figure 6. At this point the container supporting pad 54 has cleared the container feed disc H9 and this pad and the cover supporting and knockout pad 83 start to rise in unison with the container and cover held between them in the assembled state.

At point V, the pocket bottom sealing sector portion 55 reaches the position where it yieldably engages the bottom surface of the turret 69 and seals the bottom of the pocket I8. At this time while theparts are in this condition vacuum- -v izing of thecontainertakes place,

v At point VII, the container supporting pad- 54 is again elevated slightly to raise the container tion begins, and at point XI, the second seaming operation terminates and the knockout pad 8! container support and knockout pad move downwardly in unison, and atpoint XIII these parts 'reach their lowermost P sition. At point XIV the knockout pad starts upwardly away from the container cover and completes this movement at point XV so that the sealed containercan be removed from its support at the discharge station.

As has been previously described, the track section 53 assures replacement of the container supporting plungers 48 at their lowermost posivariously changed and modified without depart- :ing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. Inc. machine of thecharacter described,

a turret having container receiving pockets therein each open at the bottom and communicating at the top with a sealing chamber portion, container sealing means in each chamber portion .including a chuck, means for supporting a cover in each pocket, means for supporting and lifting containers in the pockets and movable to seal the bottoms of the pockets and lift the covers from their. supports and move them on the containers into engagement with the chuck, means for holding each cover on each upwardly moving can and movable away to free the cover to rest lightly on the container when the cover is spaced only slightly from the chuck and means for controlling the drawing of a vacuum in each container while the cover is resting lightly on the" container.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable turret having container receiving pockets therein each open at the bottom and communicating at the top with a sealing chamber portion, container sealing means in each chamber portion including a chuck, a cover pad recessed in and vertically movable relative to said chuck, means for supporting a cover in each and cover against the chuck in the manner illuspocket, a pocket bottom sealing and container supporting and lifting unit associated with each pocket and each including a turret engaging and pocket sealing head and a support pad movable relative to and through the head, means for cooperatively moving the pads and units to cause each head to seal the bottom of its associated pocket and each support pad to lift a container engage the portion,

portion including a chuck, a cover pad recessed rotatable turr actsn v to seal'flie containers while the vacuum is maininto contact with the associated cover and thence upwardtowardthechuckandeachcoverpadto respective cover and hold it on the upwardly moving wardly away from the cover .to free the cover and permit it to rest lightly on the container and municating at the top with a sealing chamber container sealing means in each chamber in and vertically movable relative to said chuck,

, means for supporting a cover in each pocket, a

and container supportpocket bottom sealins each pocket ing and lifting unit associated with and each including a'turret engagin and pocket I the characterdescribed, a rotatable turret having container receiving pockets therein each open at the bottom and comcontainer until it is but slight- Y 1y spaced from the. chuck and then move upacre and one telescopically mounted with respect to the other, said lower portion including container supporting means, and said upper porsealing head and a support pad movable relative to and through the head, means for cooperatively moving the pads and units to cause each head to seal the bottom of its associated pocket and each support pad to lift a container into contact with the associated cover and thence upward towardthe chuck and each cover pad to engage the respective cover and hold it on the upwardly moving container until it is but slightly away from the cover to freethecover and permit it to rest lightly on the container, means controlling the dnawing. of a vacuum in each container while the cover is restinglightly. therepockets therein each open at the bottom and peripherally communicating at the top with a sealing chamber portion, container sealing means in each chamber portion including a chuck, a

cover pad recessed in .and vertically movable relative to said chuck, means for supporting a cover in each pocket, a pocket bottom sealing and container supporting and lifting unit associated with each pocket and each'including a turret engaging and pocket sealing head and a spaced from the chuck and then move upwardly on, means for thereafter additionally lifting the pockets, means for drawing a vacuum in the pockets, container sealing means associated with each pocket, and means including selflocking worm and gear connections for moving the turret portions apart or for drawing them together to adjust the vertical spacing of said turret portions.

6. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable turret having container receiving pockets therein, means for supporting containers in saidpockets, means eflective for drawing a vacuum in said pockets, a container sealing means associated with each pocket and each including ilrst and second operation seaming rollers and a rotary chuck, means movable with the turret tor actuating each set of seaming rollers,- an individual gear for driving each chuck, a v

singledriver gear for actuating all of the "individual gears, a stationary ring presenting cam surfaces eflectivefor actuating all of the seaming roller actuating means, a container cover engaging .pad recessed in and movable relative to each chuck, an actuator for each pad, a stationary cam for actuating all of the pad actuators, a common support on which said ring and said cams are removably mounted, and" means for moving vertically all parts enumerated other than the container supporting means support pad movable relative to and through the head, means for cooperatively moving the pads and units to ,cause each head to seal the bottom of its associated pocket and each support pad to lift a container into contact with the associated cover and thence upward toward the chuck and each cover pad to engage the respective cover and hold it on 'the upwardly moving 15o container until it is but slightly spaced from the chuck-and then move upwardly away from the cover to free the cover and permit it to rest lightly on the container, a chambered sector.

opposed to a portion of the periphery of the turret and effective to peripherally seal pockets opposed thereto, .said sector chamber having a vacuum drawn therein so that a vacuum will be drawn in pockets communicating with the sector chamber and in the containers in said pockets while their covers rest lightly thereon. means effective after the drawing of a vacuum in each container to additionally lift the respective support pad to chuck the container, and

means for actuating the container sealing means to. adapt the machine for operations upon containers of varied heights.

7. In a machine for sealing containers in vacuum, a container supporting turret comprising a rotor having a plurality of equidistantly spaced vertical bearings, a plunger movable in each bearing and having a container supporting pad at its upper end, a pocket sealing head surrounding and slidable on each plunger, stop means limiting upward movement of said head, means yieldably urgingeach head into contact with its associated stop means whereby said head and pad normally move together with the plunger and said head can be heldagainst movement while permitting the pad to move additionally,

and cam means for lifting and lowering of the plungers in the bearings.

8. In a machine of the character described, a

elevating a container in each packet including a pocket bottom scaling head, and means encountered by the turret during movement thereof for closing the pockets peripherally" and for drawing a vacuum ,in said pockets.

9. In a machine of the character describe@ a turret including a plurality of equidistantly spaced container receiving pockets open peripherally and at bottom and top, a head having bores therein registering with the pockets, a plate interposed between the head and the turret and having individual sealing chambers I machine of the character a rotatable turret structure composed of upp r and lower vertically spaced portions rotatable in unitherein one associated with each-pocket, sealing means in each bore and sealing chamber, means for elevating a container in each pocket including a pocket bottom sealing head, and a stationary chambered sector opposed to a portion of the periphery of the turret and effective to peripherally seal pockets opposed thereto, said sector chamber having avacuum drawn therein so that a vacuum will be drawn in said opposed pockets, and said sealing chambers including portions overlying and adapted to be sealed by said sector.

10. In a machine of the character-described, a

' turret including ahplurality of equidistantly spaced container receiving pockets open peripherally and atvbottom and top, a head having bores therein registering with the pockets," a

plate interposed between the head and the turret and having individual sealing chambers therein one associated with each pocket, sealing means ,in each bore and chamber, means for elevating a container in each pocket including a pocket bottom sealing head, a cover supporting ring interposed between the turret and the plate and having provision therein for supporting a cover at the upper end of each pocket,

. and means encountered by the turret .during movement thereof for closing the pockets peripherally and for drawing a vacuum in said pockets.

11. In a machine of the character described, a

turret including a plurality of equidistantlyv spaced container receiving pockets open periphaacavov "pockets for causing them to engage and lift the covers and move with them toward the chucks, means for holding the covers on the containers while moving upwardly to prevent spilling of container contents, means for releasing the holding means to free the covers, means for thereafter drawing a vacuum in the pockets, means for thereafter effecting a sealing of the containers, and means for feeding covers and containers into the pockets including a yieldable plate engaged by the upper ends of the infeeding containers and effective to prevent spilling of contents from. the containers.

. 14. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable turret structure composed of .upper and lower vertically spaced portions rotatable in unison and one telescopically mounted with re- 7 spect to the other to-permit adjustment of the erally and at bottom and top, a head having bores therein registering with the pocketspa plate interposed between the head and the turret and having individual sealing chambers therein one associated with each pocket, sealing means in each'bore and chamber, means for elevating a container in each pocket including a pocket bottom sealing head, a cover supporting ring interposed'between the turret and the plate and having provision therein for supporting a cover at the upper end of each pocket, means encountered by the turret during movement thereof for closing the pockets peripherally and for drawing a vacuum in said pockets, and separate feeding means mounted in vertically spaced relation and rotatable about individual axes the lowermost of said means being effective for feeding containers into the turret pockets and the uppermost of said means being eflective for feeding a cover to the supporting means therefor above each container.

12. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable turret having a plurality oi equidistantly spaced pockets each having a cover supporting means and a sealing means associated therewith including a chuck, means for supporting and elevating containers in the pockets for causing them to engage and lift the covers and move with them toward the chucks, means for holding the. covers on the containers while moving upwardly to prevent spilling of container contents, means for releasing the holding means to free the covers, means for thereafter drawing a vacuum in the pockets, and

vertical spacing of the portions, said lower portion including container supporting means, and

said upper portion having a plurality of container receiving pockets, means for drawing a vacuum in the pockets, container sealing means associated with each pocket, frame means including a head portion, means for feeding containers into the pockets, a drive shaft for imparting movement to said container, feeding means and including an elongated pinion portion, means for feeding covers into said pockets including a ring gear driven by said pinion portion, and means for' verticaiiy-adjustablysupporting said cover feeding means on said frame .pocket bottom sealing head, a stationary chambered sector opposed to a portion of the periphery of the turret and effective to peripherally seal pockets, said sector chamber having a vacuum drawn therein so that a vacuum wil; be drawn in said opposed'pockets, said chambers including portions overlying and adapted to be sealed by said sector, yieldable means sealing said plate and sector against ingress of air over the length of said sector, and a seal key yield- -ably depending from. said plates between each adjacent pair of sealing chambers and presented for sealing engagement with and acrosssaid secmeans forv thereafter efl'ectlng a sealing oi the container.

13. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable turret having a plurality of 'equidistantly. spaced pockets each having a cover supporting means and a sealing means associated therewith including a chuck, means for 1 supporting and elevating containers in the tor for preventing free communication between said adjacent sealing chambers where they overlie said sector.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotatable turret having a plurality of container receiving pockets each open peripherally, container sealing means associated with each pocket, a stationary chambered sector opposed to a portion of the periphcry of the turret and efiective to peripherally seal pockets opposed thereto, said sector chamber having a vacuum drawn therein so that a vacuumwill be drawn in said opposed pockets, vertically reciprocable means for supporting a container in each pocket beneath the associated sealing means and including a pocket bottom sealing head, and means for effecting a lifting of each container supporting means including the bottom sealing head to close the bottoms of pockets while they are peripherally opposed to the sector and present the containers in positionfor engagement by the respective sealing means and a lowering thereof for opening said pocket bottoms and withdrawing said containers from said position.

17. In a machine of the character described,

a rotatable turret structure composed of upper and lower vertically spaced portions rotatable in unison and one telescopically mounted and vertically relatively movable with respect to each other to provide adjustability of the vertical spacing of the portions, said upper-portion having' a plurality of container receiving pockets, means for drawing a vacuum in the pockets, container sealing means associated with each pocket, and means including worm gearing connections for moving the turret portions apart ,or for drawing them together and also effective for securing the adjusted spaced relation of the turret portions.

ALFRED L. KRONQUEST. OTTO A. SCHMITT. 

